Logic analyzers are an important tool for digital design and debug, particularly for large and complex digital circuits. To use a logic analyzer, individual logic analyzer measurement channels are electrically connected to points of interest in a device under test (“DUT”). Connections to the logic analyzer are grouped into logic analyzer pods. Conventionally, “flying leads” are used to make the connection between a logic analyzer and a DUT. A “flying lead” is part of a logic analyzer probe adapter system wherein a logic analyzer pod connector plugs into and makes connection to seventeen (17) logic analyzer measurement channels in the case of an Agilent logic analyzer. Seventeen individual wires extend from a ribbon cable attached to the pod connector, each wire in the ribbon cable having a spring-loaded clip for connecting to a single point on a DUT. As such, there is an immediate correlation between a signal on the DUT and a single logic analyzer measurement channel on a logic analyzer pod. As digital circuits increase in complexity and reduce in physical size, the “flying lead” probe adapter becomes more cumbersome and impractical to use. Some printed circuit board technologies use surface mount components, which do not provide a point to which a flying lead may be secured.
A known alternative to the “flying lead” probe adapter, is a connector pin probe adapter. Instead of the flying lead, the logic analyzer probe is connected to an electrical connector for plug compatibility with a mating electrical connector on the DUT. The connector pin probe adapter comprises a logic analyzer pod connector that plugs into the logic analyzer measurement channels and a ribbon cable with an individual wire for each of the measurement channels. The ribbon cable is then attached to a probe that comprises a multiple pin electrical connector. The probe is designed to connect to a mating connector on the DUT. This design obviates the presence of the individual loose wires and “flying lead” termination and also provides a solution to the problem of how to connect to a printed circuit board using surface mount components. The physical connection to the DUT is easy, secure and compact, but the direct and obvious correlation between the logic analyzer measurement channels and a single DUT signal is lost. A user, therefore, must use published mapping information for the probe adapter to correlate each DUT signal to a respective logic analyzer measurement channel.
The mapping process requires the user to identify the signal on the DUT and correlate the signal to a connector pin. This process is performed using the DUT schematic. The user must then reference probe adapter documentation to correlate the connector pin to the logic analyzer measurement channel and enter that information into the logic analyzer. The probe adapter documentation is available as part of the logic analyzer equipment. As one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates, correlation of information contained in separate documents leaves much room for human error. Additionally, the mapping process for large designs with multiple connectors is a tedious and time-consuming process. Identification and correction of mapping errors is also a time-consuming and tedious process and is detrimental to the job of setting up and testing a digital circuit.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved method of mapping logic analyzer measurement channels to DUT signals to reduce the time to set up and test a device with a logic analyzer and to reduce the potential for errors.